Annexes to COM(2019)270 - Provisions of Directive 2015/2302 on package travel and linked travel arrangements applying to online bookings made at different points of sale

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dossier COM(2019)270 - Provisions of Directive 2015/2302 on package travel and linked travel arrangements applying to online bookings made at ...
document COM(2019)270 EN
date June 21, 2019
Annex I, Part C of the Directive, are rarely offered, if at all, by those business operators who contributed to this consultation. However, nothing can be concluded on airlines’ practices so far.

·Further assessment of business practices, in particular of airlines and large travel booking platforms, in relation to click-through bookings are therefore necessary, before drawing conclusions regarding a possible adjustment of the definitions provided in the Directive.

·Stakeholders and authorities who contributed to the consultation raised the need to continue to work on effective and uniform application of the new rules of the Directive, including guidance to ensure unified implementation.

oIn relation to linked travel arrangements, stakeholders pointed to, inter alia, the lack of clarity regarding the meaning of “facilitation in a targeted manner” and the criteria for determining whether or not a second trader has concluded a contract with a traveller within 24 hours after the first contract.

oThe distinction between packages and linked travel arrangements seems to remain challenging for all travel operators, including hotels.

oFinally, consumers need to be better aware of the extended protection brought by the Package Travel Directive.

3.Follow-up

As follow-up to this report and in preparation of the general report on the application of the Package Travel Directive scheduled for 2021, the Commission will:

-further assess linked online booking processes that lead to a combination of travel services in order to obtain a clearer picture of the offer of 'click-through' packages and linked travel arrangements on the market;

-complete its assessment of national measures transposing the Directive;

-raise awareness of travellers about their rights under the Directive in the framework of a broad communication campaign targeted at consumers to start before the end of 2019;

-continue to interact with relevant stakeholders through the expert group in order to collect information about problems with the application of the Directive’s provisions and, to the extent possible, find appropriate solutions;

-facilitate coordination and cooperation between the authorities in charge of enforcement of the Directive through the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network and between the central contact points of Member States to facilitate the administrative cooperation and supervision of organisers operating in different Member States. Targeted coordinated compliance assessments could be launched in the forthcoming months as part of the activities of the CPC network.

(1)

     Directive (EU)2015/2302 of the European parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on package travel and linked travel arrangement, amending regulation (EC) N° 2006/2004 and Directive 2011/83/EU of the European parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directive 90/314/EEC, OJ L 326 of 11.12.2015,
p. 1.

(2)

See Staff Working Document SWD(2019)270

(3)

http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regexpert/index.cfm?do=groupDetail.groupDetail&groupID=3617&news=1